Tourist Information from Linares, Jaén, Spain

General Information of Linares:

Linares is a Municipality from the province of Jaen, in Andalusia, Spain. Linares is a modern city, with a huge history, and an incomparable environment for business tourism. Linares is situated in the northeast of Jaen, one of the provinces with a greatest natural and monumental attractive in Spain. Jaén is located in northern Andalusia.

The city, which is perfectly connected, is just 50 kms away from the capital, where you can also visit the best preserved Arab Baths in Europe as well as Santa Catalina’s Castle or the Cathedral, one of the major works from the architect Vandelvira. It aspires to become World Heritage.

Just 20 kms far away from the city, we can also visit two World Heritage cities, Úbeda and Baeza. They represent the Spanish Reinassance, sourronded by a vast ocean of olive trees. Their streets and squares are direct witnesses from the 16th Century.

Another interesting place close to the city is the Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Natural Park, the biggest protected natural space in Spain, declared Biosphere Reserve, an unique botanic and zoological treasure.

Under the influence of its mining history, Linares is nowadays an open, cosmopolitan and welcoming city. It offers a great variety of touristic resources and appeals, as well as an additional offer for leisure and free time that may enrich any event. Its perfect location just in the Andalusian Gate, its cultural identity, its bullfighting and flamenco tradition, its gastronomy (including its wellknown tapeo), its friendly people, its accessibility and convenience, its modern and multipurpose conference facilities, its commitment to quality, its intense cultural activity and its weather, are some of the features that round its touristic offer and make Linares the perfect location for any kind of conference, meeting or event.

Linares, mining city par excellence, has been exploiting since its ancient past in the ibero-roman city of Castulo, its land, in order to extract its lead, one of the biggest economical resources and main basis of its culture and society. However, it was during the 19th century when it became one of the most important mining areas in the world. This fact was reflected on its singular industrial architecture and on its bourgeois society.

The city and its outskirts are scattered with mines and it treasures one of the most important industrial patrimonies in Andalusia. There are routes and itineraries going across the different workings that are scattered all over the territory.

Castulo Archeological Site is only 5 kms away from the city centre. It is a Visitor´s Centre which acts as a key to interpret the historical riches from this ancient city, one of the most important cities in Spain during Antiquity. It even minted its 4 own money during the 3rd Century B.C.

Places of interest in Linares:

Churches, squares, palaces, convents and monuments depict the city. Its historical heritage reminds us of a fascinating past as a meeting point and strategic centre for the north-south routes. Every single monument is a small piece of the city´s history. One of the greatest peculiarities of this city is the great amount of monuments ascribed to the socalled industrial architecture, developed between the mid-19th century and themed-20th century.

The Local Palace, the Ammunition Royal´s House, Santa María´s Church, the Promenade and the Virgen de Linarejos Hermitage, or the former Railway Station, are some examples of the touristic route we propose.

Feasts and Traditions in Linares:

Linares is a city with a deeply rooted bullfighting tradition which has count with up to 19 great bullfighters along its history, such as, Sebastián Palomo Linares, Curro Díaz, José Fuentes, Paco Bautista o Curro Vázquez. Santa Margarita´s Bullring, built in 1866, is one of the biggest rings in the world and each August welcomes thousands of fans. On the afternoon of the 29th August 1947, Manolete was deadly wounded in this Bullring. This event enhances Linares inside Bullfighting´s Tradition.

The city offers many unmissable cultural events, mainly musical and artistic. The Andres Segovia International Guitar Festival, the Music and Scenic Arts Festival, the National Taranta Contest or the Marisa Montiel Piano Contest, the Intercontinental Chess Tournament or the Holy Week, declared of National Interest, fulfill the whole year with their cultural and festive content.

Gastronomy in Linares:

Linares has made out of gastronomy a tasteful hallmark. The “Tapa” is always there, served for free with your drink. Taverns, bars and restaurants have rack their brains in order to satisfy our appetite.